Raison d'etre
by Gothic Lolita Siren
Summary: Seraphim has the perfect lover, and is convinced she has found her reason to be,but something dark lurks in her family...he must help her, before she loses herself,but the question is, does he know WHEN to give the raison d'etre to her?


Seraphim Nightshade had been working at the Las Vegas crime lab for quite some time now, about six months now. She was going out with Archie Johnson, who she knew before she had had this job. Fortune loved them, for they had ended up working together, and that made her happy. Nothing could damper her cheery attitude.

"Seraphim." she looked up at Nick. "You got company." "I wasn't expecting any. What's their name?" "Hold on." Nick's head disappeared for a moment, then he returned. "Eventide Nightshade ring a bell?"

Seraphim did a head-desk. Why must she count her chickens before they hatch? Nick stood in silence for a while, staring at her. "What does she want now....?Let her in." she groaned. Mandy and Archie looked at the woman who walked in. She could be Seraphim's twin, although her hair was shorter ( to her waist) and it was dyed blonde. They both had the same full red lips,and attractive almond shaped eyes, though Seraphim had bluish-green eyes, and her 'twin' had more of an amber colour.

~Eventide's view~

"Yes, Eventide? Do you need something?" Seraphim peered up at her from her glasses. She hated that about her sister.

Always so calm and collected.

Oh yes, of course, can't make a bad impression in front of your co-workers, can we? Oh no, we can't have that. We can't have people knowing that Little Miss Perfect Seraphim has a crazy sister who juggles two boyfriends, skips class and smokes. Let's distort that 'perfect' image, shall we?

"I got kicked out of school." Eventide tried not to smirk as her sister's calm facial expression melted. "What do you mean, 'kicked out'? Again?" Seraphim asked slowly, struggling to keep her voice calm.

"I was expelled for smoking on school property about nine or ten times."

"That's not all, is it?"

"AND for not showing up enough to get an actual grade."

Eventide shrugged and took out a pack of smokes. Before she could blink,Seraphim had snatched them, and was slowly crushing them in her surprisingly strong grip. "Hey! Those were expensive," Eventide glared at her sister. "Can't you at least keep your life in order for one single **week** without me?" Seraphim's single eye glared at her as she threw the ruined cigarettes away.

"Coming from someone whose _** real**_ name is 'Calamity'?" Eventide said smugly. She saw 'Seraphim' wince, before she continued. "_**This**_ is what you're spending your half of the family inheritance on?" Eventide couldn't hold back her excitement. She was cracking her sister's facade!

"Expensive designer cigarettes? Designer clothes? Oh, oh, don't tell me," Seraphim said the last part sarcastically, "designer shoes." "Wow, _Seraphim_, you must be psychic." "I read the account statements. I (bold 'told') TOLD you it was for academic and/or living expenses." "Well, I guess I'm not (italic 'only') only half-blind, I'm(bold and italic 'deaf') too!" Eventide crossed her arms, and stared at her older sister, who was (bold and italic 'clearly') about to go berserk on her, judging by her clenched jaw. "I swear to Kami,Eventide, you are **so lucky **you are Serenity's baby sister, because I would simply just keep myself out of your business and let you waste away."

There was silence in the lab as everyone stared at Seraphim's cold expression. Since the woman named Eventide had entered the tech lab, they had seen their gentle and usually calm friend turn into a scary wreck."I'd prefer it," Eventide hissed, turning on her heel and walking away. "Bye sis, love ya " Eventide said with a sickeningly-sweet tone that was so fake it was a joke. She waved a cigarette pack that she had pulled out of her coat jacket, and winked at Seraphim before leaving.

All eyes that were formerly looking at Eventide turned to 's eye met no one else's as she started to shake. A tear slipped down her pale ivory face, and hit her hand. She squeezed her eyes shut,rose from her place, and walked out of the lab as silently as she had stood.

~Seraphim's view~

'Dammit!' Seraphim cursed as she walked through the lab; a silent yet deadly storm ready to wreak havoc.

How could Eventide have known that her name was a hyphenated one? Her parents had never called her 'Calamity-Seraphim', simply because they had thought it was too much; the single act of kindness they had shown her in all her years of living with them. So from age two, Calamity-Seraphim Eternity Nightshade was known as Seraphim to her friends and family, especially to her older sister, Serenity.

'Serenity') .... why did she have to go? She was pretty,so loving and motherly,so... now Seraphim would never see her smiling face again.

Seraphim slumped into the plush leather chairs of the break room, allowing her head to hit the glass table. After about ten minutes she heard footsteps that sounded like they were coming toward the breakroom, but then they went silent. Seraphim ignored the sounds. Then she felt someone's warmth beside her, but she still didn't move. "Hasn't your head suffered enough?" she heard a slightly joking voice ask.

She looked up into the face of Archie,her lover, neither of them noticing the the other crime lab workers behind them. Staring at at his gentle, loving features, she finally cracked.

She flung her arms around him. Archie automatically wrapped his arms around her smaller person, gently soothing her as he felt the hot tears fall onto his shirt. "It's not fair," Seraphim whispered, clinging onto him. "Why does my sister, who was like my mother, have to die, when someone like my little sister gets to waste their life away?" Archie said nothing as he let her finish talking.

"My elder sister committed suicide, about two years ago. She hung was very sick, and she didn't get her monthly cycle, so....she took a rope and a ladder, and decided to end it all. My parents were already dead, so....I became her legal guardian. So instead of the family inheritance being split into three, it became split into two. I already had a job, so I was given less. Sixty....sixty million, she was given. Do you know how much she has now? it all on cigarettes and designer clothes..." she bit her lip.

"It's not fair!" she cried into his chest again,although it came out muffled and rubbed her back as comfortingly as he could. Archie held her close to him, as she hiccuped, then went silent. "She lives with me, but,I don't want to see her....ever." her sentence resembled that of a stubborn child.

"Why don't you stay at my place for a few days. I think you still have clothes there." Seraphim nodded "Thank you.I feel better now." Archie kissed the top of her head,then wrapped an arm around her waist, walking to Grissom's office.

"Grissom, could I...?"

"I saw what happened with her sister. Take some time off and help her calm down."

Archie looked at him in confusion.

"Rarely am I ever so kind, so heed my advice."

"Yes, sir." Archie walked out of the lab, holding Seraphim's hand. Walking over to his car, he opened the door for her. She got in. Archie walked to the other side, started the car, and drove off. Greg and Catherine watched them leave. "Poor Seraphim," she sighed, hoping Archie would help her feel better. Greg said nothing for a while, then noticed Grissom.

"I know what you're thinking, Grissom!" Greg shouted.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You feel sorry for her, but at the same time, you are trying to not to cry out uncharacteristically 'YOU'RE SUCH A CUTE COUPLE!' Yes. You are seriously thinking such a thing and it appalls you. APPALLS!"

"Get back to work,Sanders."

Archie pulled up to his house, and opened the door for Seraphim. She thanked him. "Do you want to do something?" he asked. "Watch a movie?" she asked. He nodded. "The biggest t.v. is in my room." "Um, okay. Where are my clothes?" "...in my room." Seraphim said nothing, then stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm stealing your shower." "Okay."

After Archie and Seraphim showered and changed, they decided to watch a Star Trek movie. Seraphim stared at the screen blankly. "You're making me watch this?" she said in disbelief.

"Yes...." "Okay. I'm gonna sleep. G'night." she stole some of the blankets and turned over. "You're going to sleep?!" no answer. "Seraphim...?" He turned her over and she was fast asleep. He decided to leave her alone. After the movie, Archie decided to watch some t.v., more likely some more Star Trek. Then he heard Seraphim start to mutter. He turned in her direction.

"Go _aways_, ," she mumbled as Archie tried to fight back a laugh. "I don't wants your cupcake-marshmallow tastes like pinkish-purple, and I hate the flavour,it looks like a colour...." Archie tried not to laugh, but that attempt was in vain.

"Neh?" Seraphim woke up still drowsy. "Who's laughing at me?" Archie stopped. "Sorry for waking you up. You were talking to someone named Mr. Cookie."

Seraphim stared at him blankly.

"Never mind.I'm sorry for waking you up." she wiggled over to him, and wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him closer to her. "You are a meaner " she said in a sing-song voice. "Really?" he raised an eyebrow. She nodded, pecking his lips. "You are a BIG meaner." he furrowed his eyebrows at her."But you're my meaner, so it's okay." Archie chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist. "When did I fall asleep?" "During the movie. You don't remember? You said goodnight." "Oh." Seraphim's head flopped onto his chest. "How many personalities do you have?"

"I have three. A work one, a family one and one for you, which is technically my real one, but it has many faucets and...oooohhhh....it's more complicated than Albert Einstein's mind." they sat in silence, then Seraphim reached over and poked his tummy. A little squeak emerged from her as she tried again and again to poke his tummy.

"What are you doing?" Archie asked, clearly weirded out.

"I can't poke your tummy," she whined.

"Your tummy's too work out too much."

He couldn't help but snicker. She poked him in various places on his torso, but she couldn't find a soft spot on his chest anywhere.

"Arrghhh....take off your shirt." "What?" "Take off your shirt." she repeated. Archie sat up, and removed his shirt. A sound of approval escaped Seraphim's lips,and she laid across his chest. "I'm not being fair," she said. "Hm?" I should take my shirt off too, it's not fair." Archie turned a light pink."Y-You d-don't have to..." Seraphim ignored him, and stripped off her shirt nonchalantly. "We're even now," she said. Archie received a great glimpse of her lacy, skull-covered bra as she laid on top of him, giving him a simple kiss, that soon became more.

And that was how it started.

Seraphim soon found her bare back on Archie's soft mattress. She felt the soft lips that grazed her skin, as if they were afraid they would bruise it. She felt the cool air hit her legs as the rest of her clothing was removed; though momentarily, as warm, gentle hands more than made up for her lost warmth. She felt slender hips spreading her thighs apart, and something that entered the private place between felt pain, then nothing but absolute pleasure as her lover brought her into a wonderful state of nails raked his back as they continued to give each other pleasure, murmuring each other's name in turn, and the final wave of ecstasy that hit both of them like a tsunami. Archie pulled out of Seraphim, feeling very exhausted. Seraphim giggled, wrapping her legs around his waist as they laid together. "To be loved," she murmured in his ear, as he fell asleep. The last words he heard were....

_Thank you for my raison d'etre_....


End file.
